chronicles of a girl on the run with her dog

Because I’m Happy…

Doc M to the RescueI went to a new “foot” specialist this past Wednesday. The previous week I had seen an orthopaedics and sports medicine specialist. I saw her a year ago, and although not too impressed with her then (I swear she keeps her office temp at 101 degrees), I did get the results I needed which was she referred me to another doc that gave me a cortisone shot. After that, it was all good from there on. I never went back. My PF got better and I went to see the wonderful Dr. Chappy, the chiropractor who helped, I am sure, in keeping me out on the road.

But then the Plantars came back and here I am today, not running for 12 weeks. Except for 3 days ago.

So why did I go to a new doctor? Simply put, this first Doctor, Kristin Wingfield, would not let me get another cortisone shot and suggested I get an MRI. She thinks I could have a tear. Then she told me to “go to the gym, work out your core, strengthen your legs and come back in 6 weeks.” I actually felt like she was making me feel like I don’t ever excercise. I felt insulted by her. It was a strange visit. I felt like she wasn’t even listening to me and I left frustrated and in tears on the drive home. Plus, her office was so damn hot… I was sweating in there (again). I did not like this doctor, and I would never, never recommend her to anyone, EVER!

In my previous post, my friend Andrew taped my foot this past Sunday, as he has been doing for his PF and I got to run for the first time. I took it easy, I warmed up with a 1/4 mile walk (all on the treadmill here, I’m not trying to be a hero), then a 1/4 mile run. Pretty slow, 5 mph, but still running, and pain free. I continued this alternating pattern until I hit 3 miles total, making my run a 1.5 mile run.

I can’t even begin to tell you how wonderful it was to run again. So I will let you hear it here, in this video of my favorite song right now (and a great run song.) It says it all:

My little run, it was PURE JOY! It was so wonderful, and I had forgotten just how much I love to do it. I’m sure some people will think what a crazy lady… she wants to run… she loves to run. I’m sure it sounds like drudgery to some. That is what house cleaning sounds like to me—drudgery.

I won’t lie, although my foot didn’t hurt even a spec while I was running, it did hurt later. Which was ok, as I had my doctor appt. the next morning.

Enter Dr. M.He was friendly, he listened to my entire tale of my PF, which spans over a year of time, trials, and woes. I told him how I get blisters on my feet, that I’m a toe runner, that I’ve broken the small bone (years ago) in the ball of my foot, etc. I told him of all the doctors I’ve seen, the therapies I’ve done and of course he never heard of the previous not-liked doctor. HA! He had heard of all the others I’ve seen including the one Andrew goes to.

He did some mobility tests. It was interesting. I could bend the normal foot fairly normally, but when it came to my left one, the PF Pain-in-the-butt foot, I could bend my toes abnormally way back and not a spec forward. Not so good. He said I am really tight.

He also told me I didn’t need an MRI and that if I had a tear, I would not have been able to run the day before and I would be in a lot more pain. He said that 98% of people with PF can cure it conventionally. And even before surgury for the other 2%, they can do this shock wave therapy, which is non-invasive.

I wish I had an awesome memory like my son does, but I don’t. I can’t share all the details with you. But what we concluded was this. I will get some custom orthotics insoles, which I have been so against, but enough is enough, and he promised they won’t be all that hard. And that they would help me not get blisters like I’ve been getting. Thanks to ObamaCrap ObamaCare, I have shitty insurance now with a company that used to give me great insurance, so I will likely be completely out of pocket for them. Way to go Barack!

OK… the best part. He said, ‘I’m giving you a cortisone shot today.’ Woot Woot… I didn’t even mention wanting one. He also said I should wear small heeled shoes the rest of the day… UM… do you know who you are talking to? I am the HEEL QUEEN! That was music to my ears! He said normally he doesn’t recommend his female clients to wear heels, but in this instance, it would help take the pressure off my heel. He said ‘doesn’t wearing heels feel better when you wear them?’… um yeah! He said, ‘but I bet the ball of your foot hurts too?’… um… yea, I said sheepishly. He told me to ice it at night the first few nights and to make sure I stretch my calves as I had done that run and would be tight.

Get a second opinion
I finally feel like I’m getting somewhere with solving my PF problem. I even think that if the orthotics work how he was describing, than I will be able to run like the wind again. I am so excited. First, though, I need to let the cortisone do it’s job in making the pain go away, which so far has not happened. I can’t remember how long it took the last time to kick in. A week? I hope only that long. Next step: the new orthotics and then hopefully some awesome running and no more pain or blisters are in my near future!!! I CAN’T WAIT !!

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2 thoughts on “Because I’m Happy…”

Stumbled across your blog while doing yet another internet search of “plantar fasciitis”. Just want you to know, I really understand your frustration. I have suffered with it since about 2008, when I was just ramping up my miles and long runs in anticipation of my first marathon attempt. Like you, running was my therapy, stress relief and ultimate satisfaction, for years. But I am still fighting PF, and have never returned to anything more than sporadic running. I have tried the entire gamut of things over the years, most of which you have encountered in your time struggling with it. I have another referral to an ortho specialist, but I am holding off scheduling an appointment. The last two I saw didn’t do much to help me. Temporary relief, at best. I want nothing more than to hit the road again. I’ve discovered that PF can be one of the most doggedly persistent things imaginable. At least that is how it has been for me. I wish you much luck in your efforts to recover from this. Hopefully, you will have more success than I have up to this point. But I haven’t given up. I am going to find a way to get back. Once you’re hooked on running, nothing else will do. Best of luck to you! I hope you beat this damn thing.

Thank you for the well wishes. Yes, PF is the most frustrating nagging ailment a runner can encounter. I’m sorry you have had it for so long. I did find complete relief for 6 months last year after a cortisone shot and wearing a walking boot religiously for about 6 weeks. Unfortunately it came back as I increased my mileage. Now I am going to get custom orthotics, we will see. I am not totally sold on it, but I did do a run (very easy one) tonight, and it felt great.
Best to you as well, and I hope you beat it too!!